The Nightmare
by Saxyad18
Summary: Set during Eclipse. As Esme sits home one evening, Bella struggles through another nightmare. Will this give Rosalie a chance to overcome some of her issues with Bella, or will their relationship continued to be strained? One-shot from Esme's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N **I've read several stories where Rosalie and Bella bond during and after her pregnancy with Renesmee, but I thought it might be nice to see a bonding moment before Breaking Dawn. This little one-shot takes place after Rosalie has told Bella her story but before the battle with the newborns and Victoria in Eclipse. I realize Rosalie may seem a little OCC, but this is how I always pictured her when I read the books. I know the books never mention Bella having nightmares involving the rest of the family, but I thought it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume she would at some point.

This sort of just came to me as I woke up this morning. I'm not usually one to write fanfiction; I generally just prefer to read it, but I thought you all might enjoy this little work. I don't intend to make a habit of writing, but as always, any and all reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy reading. ^_^

**EsPOV**

I watched three of my children as they lounged in the living room. Rosalie sat curled up on the sofa, mimicking the position she usually has when sitting by her beloved Emmett. She slowly perused the pages of one of her many fashion magazines and I had little doubt in my mind that were I talented like Edward, I would be privy to nearly constant thoughts of when she and Emmett would be reunited.

Emmett, Edward and my dear Carlisle had taken the opportunity to hunt together this weekend. They had left early this morning and were expected home sometime in the afternoon tomorrow according to Alice.

Alice and Jasper, who still could not bear to be parted after her return from Volterra, had intertwined their limbs together on the small love seat. I wasn't quite sure where one ended and the other began at this point.

I was just about to return to my blueprints for the redesign of the small cottage I had planned for Edward and Bella as a wedding gift when I noticed Alice suddenly tense and I watched as her eyes glazed over.

Less than thirty seconds passed before her eyes refocused and a soft smile played on her lips.

"What did you see dear?' I questioned.

She moved her gazed to me and in a voice laced with what I interpreted to be awe responded, "You'll see soon enough."

Having had several decades of Alice and her visions I knew not to press for more information. I simply resigned myself to wait and see what the future would hold, resting assured no harm would come to any of my family, for Alice would not remain so secretive if that were the case.

I let my mind wander to the newest addition to our family, dear, sweet Bella. She lay upstairs curled in a ball on Edward's bed. Both she and Edward felt better knowing she was safe with the family who stayed at home this weekend. Trouble followed her like a lost puppy. We all breathed a sigh of relief that nothing horrendous had occurred in the past few weeks, but we were not so jaded as to think that Bella was out of danger.

Just then, I head the rustle of the sheets as Bella began to move, likely as a result of her dreams. I could understand why Edward was so fascinated by watching her sleep. Bella had a tendency to talk as she slept, and more than that, when surrounded by creatures that had for the better part of a century never known the comforts of sleep, her nocturnal habits were a welcome break from the monotony of our lives.

Granted, as fascinated as we all were, we would all gladly ensure Bella never slept again to protect her from the nightmares that now plagued her at night. At first, all her nightmares were some variation of Edward leaving her and those black months that followed. Recently, however, her nightmares had come to encompass nearly the entire family in some shape or form. Just last week, Edward had to comfort Bella when she awoke from a nightmare in which Alice died at the hands of the Volturi during their rescue mission. Bella could not be calmed until she laid eyes on Alice and even then she'd been quite shaken for the rest of the week, never allowing Alice far from her sight when she could help it.

I hoped for her sake that the rustle of the sheets was not a signal for the start of another nightmare, but my hopes were dashed when a terrified whisper floated down from Edward's bedroom.

_No._

_No, stop it._

I looked at Jasper for conformation of my fears.

"She's absolutely terrified, but strangely determined and protective." He answered my unasked question. "I have no idea who she is dreaming about. It's a completely different mix of emotions than when she was dreaming about Alice last week."

I prepared to get up and go comfort my newest child when I felt Alice's hand on my forearm. I looked down in surprise, not having head her move due my preoccupation with Bella's suffering.

"No Esme," she told me, "Let her be. It has to happen this way. It's important."

I returned to my seat, but my work remained scattered over the table and I did not return to it. Instead, I listened for more clues as to Bella's newest nightmare.

_Stop! Don't hurt her._

_Please. She doesn't deserve this. Leave her alone._

As her pleas became more and more desperate, the thrashing became more pronounced and her heart beat erratically at a pace I knew was quickly ascending to a dangerous level for her frail, human body.

I looked at my children once again. Alice looked strangely peaceful and serene considering her best friend was in the throes of yet another terrifying nightmare. Jasper's discomfort at Bella's suffering was clearly evident in his eyes. He had come to love her as a little sister and hated for her to be in any kind of pain, physical or emotional.

Rosalie's expression caught me off guard. He attempt at utter indifference was undermined by the sparkle of jealously lurking in her tawny eyes. I considered her for a moment, before I understood from where this jealously stemmed.

Bella had naturally gravitated toward our resident pixie and even though Rosalie had never treated Bella as anything more than an annoyance, she was jealous of the relationship between her sister and her brother's fiancé. Her feeling of inadequacy, which stemmed from her perceived rejection by Edward long ago, had returned full force when she felt his fiancé snubbed her in the same way.

What my poor misunderstood Rose failed to understand was that Bella craved her approval as much as she, albeit unconsciously, craved Bella's.

I didn't have a chance to ponder this newest revelation any longer as Bella's nightmare took a turn for the worst. Her piercing scream filled the house and her terror could be felt by all, not just Jasper.

_Why? Why her? Hasn't she suffered enough?_

_Please, PLEASE, no more!_

_Noooooooo! No, don't take her from me!_

_Don't take my sister!_

I took this opportunity to glance one more at Rosalie, who now wore a mask of calm in an effort to desperately hide her hurt that Bella once again preferred Alice to her.

We all heard Bella's gasp as she awoke suddenly from her nightmare and her subsequent gasps for air to fill her heaving lungs to calm her racing heart. What we did not expect was the sound of her feet hitting the floor and her racing around the second story, opening and closing doors and surprisingly not tripping.

I looked to Alice for some sort of guidance, but she continued to smile and look expectantly at the threshold of the living room.

Bella's frantic search continued as she stumbled her way down the stairs. She flew into the living room, eyes red, wide with terror and desperation, huge tears rolling down her already wet cheeks. She looked around wildly, obviously trying to decide who was home.

I expected her to come running to either myself for Alice for comfort, since she wasn't quite that comfortable with Jasper and Rosalie would probably be the last person who would comfort her in this instance.

Bella, however, surprised us all and she flung herself at Rosalie's lap, gripping her waist as her sobs grew in volume and intensity.

Shock played over my face as well as Jasper's and of course Rosalie's. Alice looked like the cat that ate the canary and her eyes told me to wait, because the best was yet to come.

Jasper regained control first, which surprised me considering the emotional climate of the room.

"Bella," his calm voice soothed, "What's wrong? What happened?"

She took several deep breaths, interrupted by staccato hitches, before she could answer.

"They took her." She replied in anguish.

"Who did the take Bella? What has you so afraid?" I questioned, attempting discover the root of her anguish.

Bella did not reply, but her grip on Rosalie, who remained as still as a statue, still recovering from the shock and desperately attempting to reign her jealously over Bella dreaming of Alice again, tightened as she shook.

For several minutes, everyone remained silent as Bella continue to sob. She calmed slightly through her own efforts and those of Jasper. Her swollen eyes opened and tears continued to stream down her cheeks. She trained them on Rosalie's face that held nothing at this point but indifference.

"They took you." She cried while looking at Rosalie. "They hurt you and I tried……I tired, I swear. I wanted to save you. You were suffering and it was wrong……so wrong. And I wanted……I wanted……" Bella began to stutter as the emotions started to overwhelm her again. "I tried." She wailed again, her eyes begging for understanding from Rosalie.

"But I couldn't. I couldn't save you……Oh god, it's all my fault. They took you. I'm sorry. Please, I'm sorry……They took you from me. You were gone. I'm sorry……sorry………please………………so sorry."

I could see Rosalie's cold indifference wavering as Bella brokenly related her nightmare. My poor Bella feared few things over loosing her new family, Rosalie included. I could only imagine what Bella had tried to save Rosalie from her in dreams, but considering both of their histories, it was likely something horrific and terrifying.

Shock once again danced Rosalie's features. And she looked to Jasper for help understanding the emotions of the sobbing girl in her lap. She was still wary of Bella, and she looked worried that she has misinterpreted Bella's broken replies.

"Rose," he started and then stopped, taking a moment to compose himself. "Rose, she's still terrified and protective, but more so, she's remorseful and afraid, I think of your rejection. All her emotions are centered on you right now."

At that instant a little piece of Rosalie's amour broke off and I saw the woman Emmett fell in love with, the kind, compassionate Rosalie we all knew existed, but who felt the need to hide to save herself from being hurt as she had been when human.

I marveled as I watched her bend down and gather a still sobbing Bella in her arms. She held her like a small child and Bella burrowed her head into Rosalie's neck, grasping fistfuls of her clothing her in shaking hands.

"They took you. I'm sorry, Rosalie, I tried. Please, I tried." Bella once again stuttered through her sobs and tears.

"Shhhhh. Shhhhh. No one took me. I'm here. No one is going to take me." Cooed Rosalie in an attempt to calm Bella, who clung tighter as Rosalie finally acknowledged her fear.

"But……but, oh Rosalie, they did. They took you away from me. They took my sister from me. They weren't going to give you back. You were gone." Bella managed to get out before she once again dissolved into body shaking sobs.

The moment Bella uttered she word "sister" I saw yet another piece of my daughter's façade fall by the wayside. Bella, terrified at the thought of loosing Rosalie, the one member of our family who showed nothing more than resigned acceptance, had finally found the one way to bond with my daughter I had never even considered.

Rosalie's dreams of motherhood had been cruelly snatched from her. Her chance to love and comfort those who needed her, was torn from her grasp. But Bella, even in her terror, did not seek comfort from myself or Alice. No, she sought Rosalie, knowing rejection was a very real possibility, because she needed Rosalie's comfort as much as Rosalie needed to comfort her. Bella laid herself bare hoping her sister would sooth her and my darling Rosalie finally saw Bella for what she was, a little sister who needed someone to console her, someone to love her, someone to chase away her nightmares. Bella fought for Rosalie in her dreams and now Rosalie fought for Bella.

I watched Rosalie wipe away Bella's tears and stroke her chestnut hair, soothing her sister with whispered words and gentle hugs. I could see Bella beginning to succumb to her exhaustion and Rosalie's ministrations. She buried her head further into Rosalie's shoulder, reveling in the coldness.

"She finally feels safe," Jasper whispered as Bella began to nod off. We all watched her eyes slowly blink and then remain closed, fascinated, like Edward, by Bella falling asleep.

We had achieved serenity again until Bella spoke once more, sending us all back into a flurry of emotions.

"No, you can't have her. She's mine." She mumbled caught between consciousness and her dream again as she gripped Rosalie tighter. "She's my sister………my Rose." Bella continued. And then, no louder than a sigh, we all heard "My angel."

I saw the final piece of Rosalie's armor fall away. Her eyes held a tenderness I only saw when she looked at Emmett. She tightened her grip on Bella and rose from the couch.

"I'm going to take her back upstairs." She whispered. "I'll stay until she wakes up. It's my turn to protect her." And with that, I watched my eldest daughter gently carry my youngest up the stairs. I heard her settle in next to Bella and say "You sleep now, dear sister, I'll keep the nightmares away. I'll protect you."

Even in her sleeping state, Bella acknowledged this promise.

"I love you Rosalie." She breathed.

"I love you too Bella. Sleep now."

My still heart melted at those acclimations of sisterly love and I returned to my blueprints, smiling at the thought of my daughters upstairs, each now eager to protect the other.

"That was your vision, wasn't it darlin'?" I heard Jasper ask Alice.

"Yes. I saw Rose finally decide to accept Bella. I'm sorry Bella had to suffer through that nightmare, but this was important for both of them."

Calmness settled over the room once again. Soon, the whole family would be together and for the first time, we would be complete.

**A/N** Well dear readers, that's is it. I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot.


	2. AN A continuation of sorts

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**Hello my dear readers. I hadn't intended on developing this story any further, but inspiration struck me this morning and I have a sequel of sorts posted now entitled "Find My Place." I wanted to develop Rosalie's character a little further and also continue building her relationship with Bella. It's a little longer than this fic, and will have at least two chapters. Happy reading ^_^**

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	3. AN Bella's Dream Addition

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**Bella's dream sequence has been posted as its own fic. There had been several questions as to the content of her dream, and I finally had time to sit down and write out the scenario I kept in mind as I wrote _The Nightmare_. If you would like the insight on what Bella was dreaming, feel free to check it out.**

**I feel it necessary to warn you that it has an M rating and should not be read by younger followers of this story.**

**If you prefer to enjoy this story at its current rating, you may want to opt out of reading the new addition.**

**If, however, you were confused by some of the dialogue at the end, or if you were curious as to what Bella was dreaming, then you might appreciate the content of the new story. **

**The subject matter, based upon Rosalie's story as told in _Eclipse_, may be difficult for some readers.  
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